Impact of glacial meltwater on phytoplankton biomass along the Western Antarctic Peninsula.

ABSTRACT: The Western Antarctic Peninsula is undergoing rapid environmental change. Regional warming is causing increased glacial meltwater discharge, but the ecological impact of this meltwater over large spatiotemporal scales is not well understood. Here, we leverage 20 years of remote sensing data, reanalysis products, and field observations to assess the effects of sea surface glacial meltwater on phytoplankton biomass and highlight its importance as a key environmental driver for this region's productive ecosystem. We find a strong correlation between meltwater and phytoplankton chlorophyll-a across multiple time scales and datasets. We attribute this relationship to nutrient fertilization by glacial meltwater, with potential additional contribution from surface ocean stabilization associated w

SUBMITTER: Jack Pan B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12162344 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature